


It Will Not Steal Today

by GilliganGoodfellow



Series: Jaskier’s Monster [4]
Category: The Witcher (TV)
Genre: Depression, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Hurt/Comfort, I endorse this tag, Roach for MVP, Soft Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia, Soft Lambert
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-08
Updated: 2020-02-08
Packaged: 2021-02-27 19:20:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,239
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22620886
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GilliganGoodfellow/pseuds/GilliganGoodfellow
Summary: Geralt let's Jaskier ride Roach.Jaskier wonders if Geralt has been replaced by a doppler.
Relationships: Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia & Jaskier | Dandelion
Series: Jaskier’s Monster [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1606360
Comments: 12
Kudos: 703
Collections: Good Relationship Etiquette (familial included) - or Good BDSM Etiquette - or Good Relationship and BDSM Etiquette





	It Will Not Steal Today

**Author's Note:**

> I can neither confirm not deny that this fic was inspired by Horse Sense by Miershooptier

Jaskier wakes slowly, with no memory of getting into bed. 

His eyes closed, he can hear that the fire is lit in the middle of his room at Kaer Morhen, and the balcony door is open. He can hear the sounds of birds through it.

There’s a hand stroking through his hair, gently parting strand from strand as the fingers brush through. And he doesn’t want to open his eyes. Doesn’t want to look at the Witcher who saw him act like a ridiculous child again last night. In front of whom he sobbed uncontrollably. He can’t even remember what he had gotten so upset about. It had been trivial. 

He can remember Geralt holding him. Holding him and stroking his hair, like he’s doing now.

Did the Witcher also carry him to his bed? Tuck him in like an infant.

And even asleep he’s being indulged, fingers still stroking through his hair.

He bites his bottom lip, and turns his face into the pillow as shame spreads through every inch of him. His arms are wrapped around another pillow, held against his chest like a child’s soft toy. His fingers dig into the material.

“Hey there.” Geralt says, quietly. “Open your eyes.”

Jaskier cracks his eyes open, looking past the Witcher into the room behind him. He doesn’t speak. What can he say? 

_‘Thank you for looking after me, again.’_

_‘I’m sorry for being a burden.’_

_‘I’ll try harder I promise. Please don’t give up on me.”_

_“Please don’t leave.”_

“Have to get up soon. Roach is getting restless. Going to need to exercise her. Let yourself wake up first.”

Jaskier thinks that if he speaks, he’ll break down again. He can feel it building, stinging at his eyes and throat. He can’t swallow past the lump there. 

The hand stays in his hair, and the shame burns through Jaskier even as he loses himself in the comforting touch for a few more minutes.

“Come on.” Geralt’s voice is firm, but his touch is gentle as he encourages the bard to sit, moving his legs over the edge of the bed. “I’m not letting this thing steal today from you. Put these on.” Geralt drops the pile of clothes into Jaskier’s lap. “I’ll wait outside.” 

Alone in the room, Jaskier puts the clothes on the bed and finds himself wandering aimlessly. He picks up his lute, holding it ready to play, but only managing a single chord before lowering the instrument again. 

“We can bring that.” Geralt says, appearing at his side...how long had Jaskier been standing there?...and carefully taking the lute from him. “Get dressed.”

Jaskier looks down at the clothes. They’re not his, but he recognises the warm coat as Geralt’s, and the lump in his throat hurts now. He changes slowly, leaving the sleeping clothes on the floor as he dresses, finding the clothes to be a little bit too big, but comfortable. A loose belt holds the trousers in place, and he dons the coat. 

Geralt is leant against the wall in the stairwell as Jaskier leaves the room. 

He greets the bard with a smile. “I know it’s not easy getting up when you’re feeling like this.” He pats the bard’s arm. “Well done, Jaskier.”

Jaskier nods, but doesn’t smile. 

* * *

Jaskier sits on a wall while Geralt finishes getting Roach’s tack ready. 

“Are you running away, Geralt?” Lambert asks, crossing his arms and winking at Jaskier.

The bard smirks, and looks down.

“Roach needs to be exercised.”

“You taking the bard, or do you need a babysitter?”

“I’m eighteen.” Jaskier protests.

“Jaskier is coming with me.” Geralt smiles. “We’ll be most of the morning. Tell Vesemir.”

“If I knew where the old man was hiding?”

“Kitchens.”

“Right. Have fun. Try not to drop Jaskier on the road.”

Finishing, Geralt beckons Jaskier over, checking that the lute is secure against his back and then tapping his shoulder. “Get up.”

Jaskier stands by the horse, and Geralt lifts him up into the saddle. Then, to the bard’s surprise, he encourages Jaskier to the centre himself, before adjusting the stirrups to his feet. 

“Feeling secure?”

Jaskier nods, numbly taking the reins. Is this really happening?

Geralt smiles, and pats Roach’s side. Then he clicks his tongue. “Come on, Roach.”

Jaskier doesn’t know how he is feeling, but it sits in his stomach as he rides Roach out, Geralt walking beside them.

* * *

After a short while on the road, Roach starts to trot, but Jaskier slows her, earning a neigh of protest from the mare. 

“Not confident on a fast horse?” Geralt asks.

“I can handle fast. Used to race my cousin’s horses.” He looks at Geralt.

“Then let her run, Jaskier.” Geralt takes his steel sword from the saddle bag, leaving the silver one. “Stop at the old bastion. I’ll meet you there.” 

“Really?”

He nods, giving Roach a gentle slap on her rump. The horse starts to move again, getting gradually faster until Jaskier, with one last glance over his shoulder, lets her into a trot, canter, and finally a gallop. 

He wonders if any other person on the continent has ever ridden Roach. He also briefly wonders if Geralt has been replaced by a doppler. 

Despite Roach’s speed, a sense of calmness passes over Jaskier as he concentrates on his motions and controls. It’s been a while since he last rode, after all. But for the most part, Roach seems to know well enough on her own what needs to be done, keeping to the road and simply taking the bard along for the ride.

Jaskier doesn’t realise that he’s smiling until he starts to laugh gently, enjoying the sensation as Roach jumps a fallen log, continuing to run.

They reach the bastion far too soon, and Jaskier brings the horse to a stop, carefully dismounting and stroking her neck. “Good girl, Roach.”

The horse huffs, and starts to chew at his chest, earning a soft chuckle from Jaskier as he continues to fuss over her. “We better wait for Geralt. Thanks for the ride. It was...it was fun.”

Roach neighs, and blows hot air through Jaskier’s hair.

“I can’t believe Geralt let me ride you.” He drops his voice to a whisper. “Don’t tell anyone, but I think he’s been replaced with a doppler.”

Roach lifts her head up and down, as if nodding.

“Hey, settle.” Jaskier says, stroking her mane. He finds his face softening, and continues the gentle motion. “There, that feels nice, doesn’t it? Comforting.”

Roach breathes out heavily, clearly relaxing. 

Jaskier gives the mane a few more gentle strokes, then leads Roach over to some long grass. The horse accepts the snack, while the bard sits on the ground, looking up at the sky and concentrating on the fleeting joy he felt while riding through the forest.

He looks down at his shoulder strap, and carefully takes the lute, running his hands down the string. 

“I should compose a song about a beautiful, noble steed.” Jaskier says, as much to himself as to the horse. “A fast song, one that people can dance to.”

The smile falls from his face as he looks down at the lute. “I can’t do you justice, Roach.”

The horse continues to chew on the grass.

Jaskier lays back, hands idly plucking at the lute as he looks up at the sky.

When he opens his eyes, a blanket has been draped over him, and he now has a coat as a pillow. 

Geralt is stood next to Roach, talking quietly to her, and he has Jaskier’s lute in his hand.

Geralt turns, acknowledging the bard with a nod. “Roach tire you out?”

“I was already tired.” Jaskier complains while standing. “If you recall literally dragging me from my very warm and comfortable bed this morning.”

“Wonderful.” Geralt says, dryly. “You found your voice on the road.”

Jaskier tilts his head sideways. “What’s going on, Geralt?”

“Nothing.”

“Yeah, well you just let me ride off with your horse. I mean, I saw what happened to the last bandit that tried to do that.” Jaskier can’t help flinching as he pictures another dead bandit in his mind. 

“It worked.”

“Worked?”

“You’re smiling.” Geralt says, matter of factly.

Jaskier blushes, nodding. “What’s going on? Talk to me.”

Geralt sighs. “There IS something I want to talk about.”

Jaskier can feel the knot in his stomach again as Geralt pulls two items from Roach’s saddle bag, a letter...and a pouch.

“What?”

“This is for you.” Geralt hands Jaskier the pouch. 

Jaskier opens it, and his eyes widen. 

“That’s…Geralt what is this?”

“It’s your tuition fee.” Geralt says, resting Jaskier’s lute on his makeshift bedroll. “There is enough there for three terms at the Academy.”

Jaskier feels his heart stop. “The Academy?”

“Vesemir says that Oxenfurt intakes in the autumn. So we’ll need to leave Kaer Morhen just before summer's end.” Geralt reaches out, resting a hand on Jaskier’s arm. “Eskel has some connections. You’re all signed up, if you want to go. In fact, according to this…” He holds up the letter. “...they were excited to welcome you back.”

So that is why Geralt is being so nice. To soften the blow, before removing Jaskier from his life.

“Why?” Jaskier shakes his head, the hands holding the bag tremble. “Geralt...I know I’ve been difficult but...”

“You said it yourself, Jaskier. Said you don’t have a home or a life?”

“I was ranting, Geralt!”

The Witcher raises his hand. 

“I failed my classes last time.”

“You’ve told that lie so often you believe it yourself.” Geralt scolds. “Eskel learned that you were a star pupil, but then you became reclusive. Barely in classes, locked in your room. And then one day you walked away.” Geralt sighs. “You got sick, didn’t you? You got sick, and you didn’t ask for help.”

“Ask who?” Jaskier looks up. “Don’t send me away, please.'' 

And there, Jaskier said it. 

“You’re all I have.” He closes his eyes, and waits to be pushed away. 

“Is that why you started following me?” Geralt’s voice is low. “You were lonely?”

Jaskier shrugs, and Geralt sighs. 

“You need to go back to Oxenfurt.”

Jaskier shakes his head.

“I can’t be all you have, bard. You deserve more. You need to make friends your own age. Maybe find love too. And you should finish your studies.”

“But…”

“And I’ll find contracts in Redania.” Geralt continues.

“Redania.” The bard finally takes a breath. “You’re going to stay with me?”

“Not all the time.” Geralt shakes his head. “You’ll need new material for your songs. Can only get that on the road. But I’ll stay until you’re settled in. And I’ll visit when I can. I’ll be there if you start getting sick again.”

Jaskier takes another breath, looking down at the pouch again. “They want me back?”

“Eskel even managed to get you a discount.”

Jaskier suddenly runs forward, wrapping his arms around Geralt, who hums with surprise as he rolls his eyes and slowly hugs Jaskier back.

He smiles. “Write music and build YOUR life and career. Show the world who Julian Alfred Pankratz is.” Geralt gently pushes Jaskier back, holding him by the shoulders. “You’re only nineteen, Jaskier. Your life is ahead of you.”

“I’m eighteen.”

Geralt slowly shakes his head, and Jaskier looks back with confusion before understanding dawns. He hadn’t realised how far into spring they were.

_I’m not letting this thing steal today from you._

“How did you know?”

“Remember that Pellar we met that wanted to read your aura?” Geralt says. “She asked you for the date.”

“And you remembered?”

Geralt nods.

“So that’s why you let me ride Roach.” The bard smiles. “I take it you’ll be going back to grumpy Geralt tomorrow?”

“I’m not grumpy.”

Jaskier chuckles, and hugs the coin bag against his chest. “I’ll do it. I’ll go back to Oxenfurt. But...why, Geralt? This is so much coin...you...”

“It’s an investment.” Geralt says. “You’re my bard. A good Witcher looks after his weapons.”

“How am I a weapon?”

“You’re the poet, Jaskier, not me?” The Witcher looks over Jaskier’s shoulder. “Roach?” He whistles, and the horse steps out into the clearing.

“Want to ride her back?”

“Actually...I think I’ll walk for a bit.” Jaskier nods, breaking eye contact. “You ride her.”

“Okay.” Geralt nods, collecting together the blanket and pillow and carrying them over to Roach. 

As he climbs back into the saddle, Geralt hears a song being plucked into a lute. A fast song, the sort that people could dance to.

“Vesemir caught some deer yesterday. Do you like venison?”

“I love it.”

“You don’t say.” Geralt smirks, before urging Roach forward.

Another few notes on the lute.

“Geralt.”

“Hmmmm?”

“Actually, could I climb up there with you?”

Geralt chuckles. “You had your chance, bard.”

Jaskier smiles, and goes back to plucking at the lute. He can’t describe how he feels, except lighter. Not light. The heaviness is there, trying to throw bad thoughts and painful aches. But if he focuses on the facts. 

Geralt is going to help him study. Become a better bard. A bard worthy of Geralt of Rivia. They will travel together. Work together. 

Geralt let Jaskier ride roach. 

Vesemir hunted his favourite food for his birthday dinner. 

Lambert...was Lambert. Jaskier chuckles. 

He nods, and follows Geralt and Roach back home. 

Walking forwards.


End file.
